Rooting against Reggie Bush

[gtexan02]

So this evening I was watching the Cowgirls vs. Saints, and I kept finding myself rooting against Reggie Bush. I'll admit that every time he touched the ball, I was half-expecting him to burst through a hole, juke twice, and be gone down the sidelines. But it never happened.

And instead of being relieved, I found myself depressed.

We Texans fans are in a tough position. All of us are football lovers, else we wouldn't waste our countless hours each day reading these boards, checking NFL.com scores, watching games, etc. Yet here we are faced with a player of immeasureable talent, in the NFC, playing AGAINST the cowgirls, and I still want him to do poorly? Thats when it hit me: I'm wrong.

Tonight, I realized, I like Reggie Bush. He has incredible talent. He's an incredibly disciplined worker. He doesn't want to be good or great, he wants to be the best. He gives it his all every time he touches the ball. He's likeable and charasmatic. He's fun to watch. He had a terrible game tonight, but even in that gain of 10 yards, he spun and juked, and worked for it.

So why can't I like watching him? Why can't I cheer for him? All of the RB vs. MW comparisons, all the ESPN garbage analogies to MJ and Bowie, all of the Saints and NFL trolls that post how stupid we are have made me hope RB fails just to validate our move. But who cares? If we win games, and MW helps us do that, who cares how well RB does?

From now on, I'm going to cheer for him and hope he suceeds, because I like watching great football players, and he has thepotential to be one. Maybe he'll bust, maybe he won't, but I'm going to hope that he won't because it would be good for the sport of football. Does this mean I don't like the MW choice? Nope. Does this mean I think we messed up? Nope. They aren't either or, and I hope people quit seeing it like that.

During one of the game threads I mentioned as an aside that I thought both MW and RB were going to make impacts on their team, and I got a negative rep with the quote "who cares about reggie bush?" This teams fans have become poisoned against a pretty likeable, potentially awesome football player, and for all the wrong reasons. Even if you did it tonight, I hope none of you ever cheer for someone playing the Cowboys again, and I hope everyone can get over this validation of the MW pick. Why can't they both be awesome?

[Hookem Horns]

Do you work for ESPN?

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

Why can't they both be awesome?

Simple....because RB can't outrun NFL linebackers to the outside and he can't run for consistant, positive yardage inside. He's a college player. The defense doesn't even have to worry about the straight ahead run. They can concentrate on the passing game and sweeps.

[Smash_Mouth_Mario]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

We Texans fans are in a tough position. All of us are football lovers, else we wouldn't waste our countless hours each day reading these boards, checking NFL.com scores, watching games, etc. Yet here we are faced with a player of immeasureable talent, in the NFC, playing AGAINST the cowgirls, and I still want him to do poorly? Thats when it hit me: I'm wrong.

Tonight, I realized, I like Reggie Bush. He has incredible talent. He's an incredibly disciplined worker. He doesn't want to be good or great, he wants to be the best. He gives it his all every time he touches the ball. He's likeable and charasmatic. He's fun to watch. He had a terrible game tonight, but even in that gain of 10 yards, he spun and juked, and worked for it.

So why can't I like watching him? Why can't I cheer for him? All of the RB vs. MW comparisons, all the ESPN garbage analogies to MJ and Bowie, all of the Saints and NFL trolls that post how stupid we are have made me hope RB fails just to validate our move. But who cares? If we win games, and MW helps us do that, who cares how well RB does?

gtexan02, you shouldn't root against Reggie personally. You should root against the ESPN HYPE! Sooner or later they will have come down to earth.

It will be too obvious.

[swisher]

Yeah, I really didn't start rooting against him until the Los Angeles Saints trolls invaded this board and listening to Stuart Scott climax on national television over Bush's crazy 9 yard run.

[RiotCommander]

The only thing I have come to see is that no matter how badly Reggie does he will be promoted by ESPN. Williams on the other hand better look like Jevon Kearse / Peppers or he is a bust.

[TexanSam]

You know, I want to root for him, but ESPN bashing us for taking Mario Williams instead, along with just about anyone else who's a football fan made me want to root against him. I'm not rooting for him to get injured or anything, but I'm hoping he just turns into a back somewhere between below average to halfway decent.

[Smash_Mouth_Mario]

Originally Posted by RiotCommander

The only thing I have come to see is that no matter how badly Reggie does he will be promoted by ESPN. Williams on the other hand better look like Jevon Kearse / Peppers or he is a bust.

It tells ya...there's an Adidas contract going on with ESPN!

That's my conspiracy theory!

[TexanSam]

Originally Posted by HJam72

Simple....because RB can't outrun NFL linebackers to the outside and he can't run for consistant, positive yardage inside. He's a college player. The defense doesn't even have to worry about the straight ahead run. They can concentrate on the passing game and sweeps.

I think it's too early to say that. I think he has what it takes to succeed in the NFL. I'm just rooting for him not to put it together.

You know, I want to root for him, but ESPN bashing us for taking Mario Williams instead, along with just about anyone else who's a football fan made me want to root against him. I'm not rooting for him to get injured or anything, but I'm hoping he just turns into a back somewhere between below average to halfway decent.

Originally Posted by Smash_Mouth_Mario

gtexan02, you shouldn't root against Reggie personally. You should root against the ESPN HYPE! Sooner or later they will have come down to earth.

I guess the same could apply to me.

[kbourda]

Originally Posted by Smash_Mouth_Mario

gtexan02, you shouldn't root against Reggie personally. You should root against the ESPN HYPE! Sooner or later they will have come down to earth.

It will be too obvious.

Yeah, and we all know about the ESPN hype. It's the ESPN hype that had this 75% of this MB thinking Bush was a unique RB.

[Smash_Mouth_Mario]

Originally Posted by kbourda

Yeah, and we all know about the ESPN hype. It's the ESPN hype that had this 75% of this MB thinking Bush was a unique RB.

He is unique. He's just not the Messiah.

[gtexan02]

I'm pretty surprised at what I perceive to be some pretty childish need for validation here. Its not good enough if Mario has 16 sacks and we make the playoffs for many of you, but Reggie also has to average 2 ypc and never score to make you happy. Seems pretty pathetic to me.

Who cares how he does if Williams plays great? Who cares how much ESPN hypes him? They are business looking to make money (we are in America after all, and capitlism is the name of the game) and the average football fan would rather see a 44 yard run than a QB pressure or a knockdown. Thats just a simple fact. Offensive players jerseys sell more than defensive jersey. Thats another fact. ESPN has a good marketing department, and they tell their commentators, "Sell Reggie" because they know he's marketable. Thats good business, and if you dont' like it, its pretty easy not to watch ESPN. Just change the channel.

Rooting against someone who has good potential is something I just odn't understand anymore. Wouldn't it be cool if RB really was the next Gale Sayers, but didn't injure his knee, and was an offensive force for years to come? It'd make watching other games on Sunday more fun, for sure. And that doesn't mean MW has to suck for that to happen. Their fates are not tied together, so that if one succeeds, the other must fail. So why not stop thinking like that?

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

So this evening I was watching the Cowgirls vs. Saints, and I kept finding myself rooting against Reggie Bush. I'll admit that every time he touched the ball, I was half-expecting him to burst through a hole, juke twice, and be gone down the sidelines. But it never happened.

And instead of being relieved, I found myself depressed.

We Texans fans are in a tough position. All of us are football lovers, else we wouldn't waste our countless hours each day reading these boards, checking NFL.com scores, watching games, etc. Yet here we are faced with a player of immeasureable talent, in the NFC, playing AGAINST the cowgirls, and I still want him to do poorly? Thats when it hit me: I'm wrong.

Tonight, I realized, I like Reggie Bush. He has incredible talent. He's an incredibly disciplined worker. He doesn't want to be good or great, he wants to be the best. He gives it his all every time he touches the ball. He's likeable and charasmatic. He's fun to watch. He had a terrible game tonight, but even in that gain of 10 yards, he spun and juked, and worked for it.

I don't think he's an exceptional talent. I don't really watch college football, so I admit my opinion is based solely on not "knowing" who he is. I've watched all the highlights, and I don't see a running back.... that's my deal..... if we are going to draft a runningback with the #1 overall, he better be a runningback. Versatility is a great thing, but football is a simple game. Runningbacks run the ball........ defenses stop the run...... teams win championships.

Everytime Reggie was in the game last night, I was anxious to say the least. I also follow the Cowboys as a fairweather(the Texans are out of the play-off race) fan. So I know their D is for real, and they are going to shock(and hurt) a lot of teams. If Reggie could run on them, to me, that meant I was wrong, and Reggie will be greater than any name he's been compared to to date. & worthy of the #1 overall pick.

As it stands right now, he's going to make some bad teams look really bad(too bad he doesn't play against N.O.) and some good defenses look like good defenses.

But like you say, I like to watch football, I'm a fan of the game, and I really like all these kids who have pushed themselves to excell at something. I wish the media didn't focus on the problem kids, but that's another story.

Personally, I hope Reggie does give the fans in N.O. something to cheer about.... I hope they keep their team for years to come. I hope he knocks down every rushing record there is....... won't bother me one bit... as long as we continue to win games, make the playoffs, and win the SuperBowl.

I'll never think that we should've drafted Reggie, as long as Kubiak keeps doing that thing that he does....

[Mr. White]

I think most of us are still ticked off that almost everybody on ESPN seems to be of the opinion that we're crazy for not taking Reggie Bush when we had the chance.

Some of us around here have been of the opinion that we never needed him to start with even before the San Francisco game last season.

I hate to think I'm rooting against him, but I'm definitely not rooting for him. I've been of the opinion that he's overrated. I think most Heisman winners are.

All the ESPN hype, the second-guessing and Saints trolls make me dig my spurs in more.

I don't know how you can have such disgust for someone you don't even know...It's fine to not like the ESPN hype, and such; but to flat out say you want someone to fail at their craft, their career, IMO is just plain ignorant. I am a football fan before I am a Texans fan...say what you will, but i enjoy watching a good football game...There were plenty times last year when the Texans were doing horrible and i would switch in and out to other games/ESPN just to see highlights and what good football looked like...Reggie Bush is an exciting player, that keeps people on the edge of their seats....who doesn't want to see that ? I don't want any players to fail truthfully...I wish every player could convert their skills to the NFL or be even better...thats it...

[powerfuldragon]

Originally Posted by Smash_Mouth_Mario

It tells ya...there's an Adidas contract going on with ESPN!

That's my conspiracy theory!

mario has an adidas contract too...


I'm rooting for bush to do well. The saints need him.

[GuerillaBlack]

I just hope the ESPN hype goes down, and they realize what they are talking about. I have never seen a 9 yard run get so much hype.

[Mr. White]

Originally Posted by xtruroyaltyx

I don't know how you can have such disgust for someone you don't even know...It's fine to not like the ESPN hype, and such; but to flat out say you want someone to fail at their craft, their career, IMO is just plain ignorant. I am a football fan before I am a Texans fan...say what you will, but i enjoy watching a good football game...There were plenty times last year when the Texans were doing horrible and i would switch in and out to other games/ESPN just to see highlights and what good football looked like...Reggie Bush is an exciting player, that keeps people on the edge of their seats....who doesn't want to see that ? I don't want any players to fail truthfully...I wish every player could convert their skills to the NFL or be even better...thats it...

I don't know if this was meant for me or not. It looks like it was.

Thinking that a player is overrated doesn't mean that I have disgust for the guy. I said that I'm not rooting against him, but I'm not rooting for him.

[Haams]

Let me chime in...

I have a few strikes against Bush (going back to the fact that I am a UT fan) and tying into the ESPN hype. #1 Reggie doesn't seem to me like the likeable charismatic good guy image ESPN has portrayed him to be.

- while in college he allowed pro-agents to move his family into a new house

- after losing in the national championship game he wasn't a gracious loser, he stood on the field and claimed his was the best team. (It's easy to be a gracious winner, let's see how he handles losing.)

- after being drafted he demanded more money than the #1 pick and more money than running backs ever get. To make his point he had himself a little holdout and kept himself out of camp and practice.

I love the sport of football and watching people do well. There are a lot of exciting players in the NFL and if I'm going to see highlight runs out of New Orleans I'm more than happy if they come from Deuce. Personally, Bush comes across to me as a selfish, arrogant, greedy player. Add to that the way the "hype" loves him and the amount of insults that has led to be hurled against my team, and yeah...I'll continue to cheer against him.

[Corrosion]

I could care less what Bush does against any team other than the Houston Texans ...... Im sick to death of the Bush hype machine . Thats what this has been for the last year , nothing but hype created by the media and marketing .....

Bush has yet to play a meaningful down in the NFL , much less do anything to be compared to the NFL greats of the past like Sayers and Payton ..... How bout before we put the guy in the freakin Hall of Fame we let him earn his way there ?

Honestly I think he is a situational player in the NFL much like he was used in college .... Not an every down back like those who he has been compared to .